Skiing - Looking for great places to ski near Albany?

Albany has several mountain ranges and ski centers nearby, perfect for a day or an evening out on the slopes

For those people living or staying in the Albany area, the question is not one of where to ski, it's one of how far do I feel like driving today? From as close as twenty minutes to as far as three hours, some of the best ski slopes in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont are within reach. Below is a sampling of downhill ski centers both near and far away.

Located right in the Capital District, just outside Albany in Schenectady, NY, is Maple Ski Ridge offering skiing and snowboarding. Reasonable rates and a variety of trails for all levels and abilities makes this a popular choice among families.

Also nearby, and just over the border into Massachusetts lies Jiminy Peak, offering several advanced and expert trails, as well as private and group ski lessons for beginners. Their children's programming is very popular, offering both ski lessons and a supervised playroom perfect for those children who prefer indoor play.

Back in New York and to the south is Windham Mountain, offering a large variety of trails from easier ones to challenge the rookies, to extremely difficult to challenge the expert. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, a tubing hill offers fourteen lanes and three lifts for hours of family fun.

Slightly farther away lies Hunter Mountain, with 240 acres of trails and a variety of terrain to challenge all levels. This big mountain offers all the normal ski resort amenities, including lessons, rentals, tubing, lodging, dining and cozy on-site bars for those apres ski drinks by the fire.

To the north, is the Adirondack Mountains of New York feauturing the highest peaks in the state. In the foothills and closest to Albany is West Mountain, popular for its beginner and intermediate slopes, tubing, nightime skiing, and children and group lessons. A year-round destination, West Mountain also features downhill mountain biking for the adventurous once the snow melts away. A few miles north in Warrensburg, NY, is the small but friendly Hickory, a unique ski and sport center especially suited to families, yet offering the 6th highest vertical drop in NYS. Nineteen trails offer alpine skiing, snowboarding, and telemark skiing as well as snow shoeing and sledding in an all-natural powder setting. In the heart of the Adirondacks lies Gore Mountain featuring 72 trails, 11 lifts, 150+ inches of natural snow per year, two lodges and a wide variety of amenities. And, finally in the High Peaks is stunning Whiteface Mountain, ranked #1 in the Eastern US for three years running by SKI Magazine, and boasting the largest vertical drop in the East at 3,430 feet. There are 73 trails, 10 lifts and over 215 skiable acres with 44% of the terrain is rated most difficult. For spectacular scenery and thrilling skiing, a day on the slopes at Whiteface makes a memorable Albany ski trip.

Vermont beckons with choices. Bromley is an excellent choice for families, and was recently named #2 in the Nation for Family Ski Programs by the readers of SKI magazine. Mt. Snow/Haystack offers so much to do, it almost defies the name ski center. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, tubing and sleigh rides can all be enjoyed -- a great place to go if a family or group member does not like downhill as they have so many other activities to choose from, including a massage at the spa!